Tag: trump

In response to the tragedy of an innocent American woman being murdered, live, on TV, by a neo-Nazi, our President’s response was first lukewarm, then robotic-ly obedient to a written statement crafted by others wiser than he, and then, finally, Trump’s true feelings. He declared that neo-Nazi’s are nice guys. He declared that such nice guys were only pushed to commit murder by the actions of an opposition that was doing exactly what they were doing, exercising their 1st Amendment rights.

But, Mr. President, the existence or non-existence of a permit for a rally does not matter when it comes to culpability for murder. How do the baseball bats of the opposition compare to the guns brought by white supremacist terrorists? Surely you jest. I mean, come on, remember that old saying about bringing a knife to a gun fight?

Mr. President, there was only one side that committed murder. And, in light of information gleaned from neo-Nazi websites, murder by car was not the frantic response of a startled neo-Nazi driver. For some time these terrorists have been encouraging one another online to kill protesters en masse by vehicular homicide. Chat threads exist between white supremacist terrorists trying to figure out the best plan of action to kill the most people, yet escape apprehension.

Mr. President, you are not just supporting terrorists who have killed a single American. You are supporting several organizations of white supremacy terrorists who are plotting mass murder on a wide scale, across the United States and aimed at exterminating their chosen victim classes: anyone of the opposition. Considering your most recent polling numbers, that seems to be about two-thirds of the American population. So it can then be argued that what you are supporting is a plan of genocide of the American people.

My analysis of the potential danger is not outrageous. The FBI has declared white supremacy ideology a serious domestic terror threat. Even more dangerous of a threat than ISIS. Sure, the FBI declares some radical left wing groups as terrorist as well. But it is only white supremacy terrorism that has killed more Americans than any other ideology. This based on the FBI’s decades of research, surveillance and data collection. And it has certainly killed millions across Europe (like more than 50 million). Yet you rejected the warnings from legislators and intelligence communities explaining this very serious terrorism threat from white supremacy terror cells.

Well, Mr. President, since you have declared that there are two sides to this problem, I have taken the initiative and chosen my “side”. I stand on the right side of history, rather than on the side of alt-right. I stand on the side of my grandfather’s legacy. What might that side be, Mr. President? Please allow me to clarify by first asking a few questions about the white supremacy terror legacy left to you by your father, a KKK klansman:

Who do white supremacist terrorists think they are taking their country back from? The descendants of American patriots willing to give the ultimate sacrifice as Nazi killers in World War II? Wasn’t the sacrifice of these patriots to save our nation from the un-American, anti-freedom ideology of white supremacy? Wasn’t the point of American patriot sacrifice to prevent this ideology from reaching our shores and EXTERMINATING Americans who were non-white, non-Christian, non-heterosexual, medically disabled and feminist?

Another little conundrum for you, Mr. President. You know your Russian friends? Yeah. It was with the help of Russian Communists that our patriotic American WWII veterans kicked the Nazis ass. Now isn’t that ironic. You now find yourself playing with two teams that were once enemies, and probably still are. And it seems that you have chosen the side of losers.

What was that thing you said about not respecting losers? Well, the racist base you are leaning on? Their ideology is the biggest loser of all. They lost WWII. They lost the Civil War. And they have lost you the rest of America. The majority. At least 60%.

Mr. President, there is nothing for your racist base to take back. This great country was never their’s to begin with. They tried once before in the mid 1800’s but America kicked the Confederacy’s ass then. And white supremacists got their asses kicked by the entire world less than a century later. And we can do it again now. You and your racist base cannot have the country my grandfather fought to protect. I plan to preserve his legacy of freedom for ALL. But go ahead and bring your fire. Try to take it from me if you think you can.

Respected physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson gave a very grave status update for the United States recently. He made the following claim while delivering a warning alongside his claim:

“America is already kind of fading… there’s no future [for a country that ignores science].”

Is Tyson simply a disgruntled scientist complaining about the position the Trump administration has taken with regard to climate change or is he on to something here? Let’s look at history. That is, after all, one of our greatest teaching resources.

Muhammad ibn Zakariya Razi: Simply known as Rhazes, he was a pioneer in medicine in the Baghdad of the late 9th and early 10th centuries. He followed the rational and logic methods of Hippocrates and penned a comprehensive medical tome, Continens Liber. The book made him famous but not for the reasons he had probably hoped for.
A Muslim priest, offended by his work, ordered him beaten with the work’s manuscript. The abuse was so severe he was blinded which put an end to his illustrious medical career.

Was religious motivated persecution of Baghdad’s science community the beginning of its end? During the Abbasid caliphate, also called Baghdad’s “Golden Age”, the Islamic theocracy was churning out the world’s greatest scholars, mathematicians and scientists of that time. But as Sunni ruled Baghdad was achieving glory, Shiite Muslims were slowly simmering in their religious rivalries. Rhazes was one of the first casualties of this in-fighting.
The battle of religious ideology supremacy would lead to a weakening that made Baghdad vulnerable to Mongol aggression which eventually destroyed the city a couple of centuries later. But the short-sighted Shiite’s could not see this coming. They were so intent in destroying their rivals, the Sunnis, that they did not consider the consequences of their actions.

You see, the crazy thing is that the origins for the religious rivalry had nothing to do with science. It was all about the rights of succession for religious leaders, whether they be elected (Sunni belief) or a descendant of Mohammed (Shiite belief). Since patronizing the scientific community was a source of strength for the Sunni faction, the Shiite’s strategy for supremacy was to destroy the Sunni’s source of strength, the scientific community. But by persecuting the science community, the Shiite’s also brought about the entire destruction of Baghdad’s empire.

Michael Servetus: This Spanish physician’s work included a book that promoted a reformation of the Christian religion that was dominated by the Catholic Church during his lifetime in mid 16th century Spain. This earned him the label heretic. He fled his native country to avoid imprisonment and torture, the hallmarks of the Spanish Inquisition. He arrived in what he thought would be a more tolerant nation, Protestant dominated Switzerland.

However, it wasn’t just Christian Catholics who wanted to see him dead. John Calvin, who himself was a reformer of Christianity as a founding father of the Protestant Reformation, considered this medical scientist such a threat to the power of the church that he ordered the arrest of Servetus.

You see, although Europeans were being terrorized by Christian leaders of the Spanish Inquisition, Nordic peoples were equally terrorized by the Protestant Inquisition that was going strong in Switzerland. Eventually Servetus was captured and tortured. Religious leaders crafted quite a public spectacle, burning him at the stake with Lake Geneva as the backdrop. Stoking the fire? Copies of his book.

So, if the 16th century is noted by historians as the era of Spain’s Spanish Inquisition, what happened in the next century? Did persecution of scientists make the nation greater or worse? Historians describe the 17th century as an era of Spain’s decline. So, yeah, kill off your scientists and expect your country to fail.

The gringa could go on and on recounting the many scientists throughout history who have endured periods of purposeful persecution from governments of religious extremism that eventually led to the destruction of a nation. The dear reader can do their own homework on the life and times of scientists and their respective countries. Why not start with these:

Galileo of 17th century Italy

Henry Oldenburg of 17th century England

Antoine-Laurent Lovoisier of 18th century France

Gerhard Domagk of 19th century Germany

So what should be expected as the anti-intellectual, religious extremists of the Republican party transform the US? Well, right now we are at the brink of what will become known as the cliff this great nation falls off of. Anti-intellectualism will inevitably lead to a less informed democracy. A nation of people who believe false science are incapable of solving the problems that will plague them, whether it be pollution, disease or social conflict. Without the right information, all decisions are the wrong decisions.

What happens then? If religious extremism prevents an embrace of the truth, then when solutions fail blame must be cast. The US can expect, then, a rash of scapegoat classes to be created and systematically persecuted for all the ills in society.

As other nations cultivate their own science communities, eventually one will emerge as the leader, filling in the vacuum the US leaves behind as it abandons real science. We already see this happening with the nations supporting the Paris Climate Agreement. This will result in the US losing its competitive edge in the consumer markets dominated by science and technology. And what can we expect that to do? Affect the US economy disastrously.

So, as the US denigrates, denies and persecutes science, it is stabbing innovation and hope for the future right in the back. The Trump administration may be the catalyst for a destruction the nation cannot recover from. Consider what can happen in 4 short years of no innovation or inspiration. Scientists who cannot pursue their passions, have their work published, implement their methods and are maligned for what their research indicates will go elsewhere. And once settled in a new home that welcomes and supports them, it is highly unlikely they will ever come back.

An exodus of talent will make America’s science community a veritable wasteland not just of scientific talent but of the backers who fund their work. Investors will then put their money where it will be used in the research and development of tomorrow’s technologies that will sell big.

The Trump administration is initiating a chain reaction of scientific abandonment that is not just ideological. Scientists who want to be empowered to fulfill their potential will go elsewhere, hand-in-hand with those who have the money to make their dreams come true. In the next few years the landscape of science and technology will change. Other nations will be developing the cures for AIDS and cancer. A new Silicon Valley will emerge as California’s own becomes a ghost town. Tyson is right.

Conspiracy theories seem to be taking center stage in American politics these days. That being said, the current president seems to find conspiracies believable. Now, why do so many people believe conspiracy theories? When Trump makes an outrageous claim with no evidence to back it up, why are there so many people jumping on the bandwagon?

Maybe it’s because some of the institutions in our country that should be reliable have done things that have damaged their credibility. When agencies like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) lose public trust, then it’s easier to turn to conspiracy theories as reliable information. So how bad have the “good guys” become?

The CIA was created in 1947. It’s job has been to collect and analyze information about foreign nationals, organizations, businesses and government officials on the down-low. No one is supposed to know they are being spied on. However, thanks to whistle-blowers and the viral nature of the worldwide web, many of their nasty, little secrets have been revealed. And now, the CIA may have to suffer the consequences of being damaged goods unworthy of public trust.

Now, the gringa understands that the spy business is a nasty business. No one likes a snoop, a snitch or a turncoat. But, the reality is, if a country wants to know what the enemy is up to, spies are necessary. We may despise a spook, but without them, we would all be much more vulnerable. But what do we do if our spy community takes advantage of secrecy to abuse their broad authority? What if that results in our “good guys” morphing into the “bad guys”? Well, then the whole world is in trouble. For anyone to be truly safe, it has to be clear who, exactly, the good guys are.

Operation Ajax: Many people today may not even think about a serious power struggle in Iran that took place more than half a century ago. In 1951, the current Shah, Reza Pahlavi, survived an attempt on his life. It’s possible this assassination plan was cooked up by none other than his Prime Minister who wanted to reduce the Shah’s power. The CIA took interest because of, what else, oil. Particularly a British oil company, AIOC.

The Shah’s opposition considered this foreign oil company’s presence just one step too close to invasive British imperialism. Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh demanded an audit which AIOC refused. What’s a Prime Minister to do when his authority is insulted? Seize the company and make it a national asset.

The 1950s was the height of the Cold War. Every European nation, including the great island of the UK, kept oil supplies ready and at hand, their military capabilities primed should Russia strike. With British oil supplies in Iran threatened, which, in turn, threatened the readiness of their military, who else does the UK turn to but their powerful cousin across the pond, the US.

The Eisenhower Administration was on board, eager to flex its muscles for all the world to see. Especially Russia. And Mossadegh’s aggressive takeover of a British company was interpreted by Americans in the throes of the Red Scare as one step toward Communism for Iran.

Of course, the US was then “obligated” to save the vulnerable Iranians from Communism and “preserve” democracy”. Yep, the same old recycled story of preserving democracy as a cover for interfering in the sovereignty of a country in order to control their valuable oil.

The funny thing is that Prime Minister Mossadegh was actually an advocate of democracy. He, himself, was a democratically-elected official. His political goal was to diminish the power of the station of Shah who was a hereditary monarch. See the conflict here? In the end, however, the CIA launched Operation Ajax. This is how things went down:

Iranian officials and mafiosos were bribed.

Staged protests were bought and paid for in every major Iranian city.

CIA agents were boots on the ground, using radios to transmit coverage of protests to the US and other media around the world.

The media covered this news, effectively convincing their respective populations that Tehran was about to be overwhelmed by a populist army of rebels. (Is this beginning to sound familiar, you know, like Syria?)

Mossadegh saw the writing on the wall and resigned.

The new Prime Minister was a British/US puppet who restored oil monies to the British and the power of the throne to the Shah.

The Shah responded with a security crackdown: secret police, traitors prisons for suspects without hearing or trial, and a major propaganda campaign to practically deify the Shah in the eyes of all Iranians.

Considering the outcome of the operation, it’s pretty easy to see that the “preserve democracy” justification was a sham. The West’s only interest was to get rid of Mossadegh because the only goal was to preserve British control of oil interests. So long as the Shah followed the program, the CIA was more than happy for this bloody tyrant to stay in power.
As it turns out, the CIA, British and Americans were no real friend to the Shah. They stood idly by while Communists and radical Islamists oranized secretly right under his watchful nose. It took more than a quarter of a century but, eventually, these rebels rioted and drove the Shah right off his throne. This was followed up with massacres of those who supported the Shah and any foreigners in Iran exploiting oil interests. Children were not spared.

What happened next is the installation of the Shah most of us are more familiar with, Ayatollah Khomeni. And he was incredibly ruthless, loyal to none. Once in power he turned right around and slaughtered the leftists who had led the rebellion that ousted his predecessor. What a reward for loyalty! Tens of thousands were imprisoned. This is when the famous hostage crisis at the American Embassy occurred during the Carter administration.

Neighboring Iraq took full advantage of the chaos. They invaded Iran on their western border. It is this key invasion event that created a ripple effect of events that are still unfolding today in all that is going on in the Middle East. Because, if not for the original interference of the CIA in 1953 that resulted in a political and monarchal coup in Iran, the de-stabilization and continued conflict for superior power present today would not have resulted. Iran had been, up until that time, a stabilizing seat of power in the Middle East.

By organizing a revolution the CIA set the stage for Islamic radicals and political rebels to flourish. Nw these rebels and radicals knew that there were powerful nations willing to arm and supply them if profit and oil interests would be in their favor by doing so. The precedence was set for the US and UK to exploit mercenary Middle Eastern rebels and radicals as a means to maintain Western control of Middle East oil reserves. They would use these assets to threaten a leader who stepped out of line or replace a leader who dared to go rogue.

The gringa knows that lots of people like to blame the war on terror on George W. or other contemporary political actors. The reality is that the seeds were planted much, much earlier in history for this poisonous tree that is bearing toxic fruit today.

Let’s suppose for a minute that the allegations are true: that Putin promised the White House and a share in Rosneft to Trump in exchange for lifting Russian sanctions, blackmail of Ukraine’s leader and installing a pro-Russian Ukraine leader which would provide unfettered access to Ukraine’s pipelines. Those pipelines are worthless without the crude being shipped out of the Middle East. Russia’s only port for crude shipping in the Middle East is in SYRIA. What if Syria was part of the bargain?

Russia couldn’t very well topple its own ally it is fighting beside in a civil war. Could it be that Trump or Putin would stage a dark op to cast Assad in such a light that the US could justify a military action so crippling that Syria’s only survival becomes completely dependent on Russia? Russia could then install a new government in Syria, staffed by its own operatives. Trump and Putin would then become the most powerful and wealthy men in the entire world.

But what would happen if this dynamic duo had their plans exposed? It is suspected that Putin is the authority behind the assassination of those with vital knowledge. The suspected body count is now up to 10. What if Trump has become paranoid that he or one of his loved ones might become a Russian liability as US intelligence communities creep their investigations forward? What if Trump decided to cut his losses, that this is all getting too complicated and bothersome and he’s just not enjoying himself any longer? What if Trump tried to cut and run from his Putin obligations? What would happen then? What if this is what is happening?

What if a war is actually about to break out because one crook tried to double-cross another crook and these two crooks both happen to be in control of 2 of the most powerful and deadly military forces in the world? The world is watching 2 madmen on a stage and we have no idea what the real plot is.

The gringa has few solid answers, plenty of questions, and a treasure trove of US documented history that indicates that a dark operation by the US is entirely plausible. I can also guarantee you that Trump’s strike on Syria was NOT motivated by his great, big, humanitarian heart that was bleeding on behalf of suffering, gassed Syrian children. And damn his heretical invocation of the name of God for his actions.

Many dark operations have, in fact, already gone down in US history before. The gringa warns her dear readers to beware. Be very cautious moving forward as you attempt to decide your own position in this very dangerous situation.

The US mainstream media will most likely fall in line. For some news agencies it will be sudden. Others will deliver a slow drip, drip, drip of conditioning to gradually mold the minds of skeptics. But expect all US mainstream media to eventually get around to demonizing Assad and hail President Trump. Americans should beware of the same media that sold us the deceitful bill of goods that gave us Iraq during the Bush administration. Read media from other nations. As you do, you will become acutely aware that Trump, and viz a viz America, is being called every name in the book from rogue nation to terrorist.

State sponsored media in Russia is prepping its population to support, and even demand, a showdown with the US. America is being painted as monsters, the puppets of Zionist terrorists in Israel. Russian media is capitalizing on the love loss between Trump and US neighbors south of the border. Many leaders of countries in Central and South America are pondering over the same possibilities the gringa has mentioned here and in the previous Special Report of yesterday.

There have even been some US southern neighbors welcoming Russia. Just this month it was announced that Russia was shoring up its military and economic alliances with these South American countries that are practically at America’s back door: Argentina, Cuba, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. While Trump was busy denigrating neighbors that could make or break our national security, Putin was investing in a local strategy of power and influence. You see why the gringa say, “Take care, dear readers.”

Trump’s actions have been extremely immature and downright dangerous. His lack of sophistication has driven him to desperate actions. Trump has now painted targets on the backs of every American abroad, whether living abroad or traveling for business or pleasure. As the gringa discussed events with her dear caveman, he reminded her of the numerous kidnappings, tortures and murders of Americans that took place in the 70s as the reputation of America became diminished abroad.

Not only is Russia preparing for a confrontation with US sailors in the Mediterranean off the shores of Syria, but Russian ally Iran sits poised for Putin’s direction. Make no mistake about what is happening. Trump is the worst national disaster in the US since the Great Depression. I hope the few points his popularity polls crept upward are worth to him all the lives his megalomania is costing the world. The US president is a madman. And he is a madman who is either in league with another madman, Putin, or has double-crossed that madman. Either way, this is the worst news the entire world could receive.

To understand the significance of what just happened, it is important to ask the right questions. Although the gringa would never deny the importance of humanitarian actions, we first have to determine if the American people have been told the truth of what happened in Syria or if we have been duped to support a dark operation. Please read on with an open mind. More importantly, follow the links to further your own personal research in order to draw the most informed conclusion. Even after the research the gringa has already done, she is still left with more questions. Although I am deeply moved by the suffering of the Syrian people, I cannot support Trump’s actions.

Trump had been quietly building up troops in the region of Syria’s conflict since February yet the mainstream media rarely reported these movements. Why?

Trump has always criticized publicizing intended military action as a stupid way of giving the target a head’s up. Yet he notified Russia and Syria officials of his intentions, though not the public. Russia and Syria had time to evacuate personnel and critical equipment and supplies. However, it appears that innocent Syrian civilians were left behind to become collateral damage, public sympathy insurance for Syrian and Russian anti-American propaganda. Also notice in Russia’s drone footage it only appears that outbuildings and insignificant runways were destroyed. Unscathed are major runways, earthen, concrete open hangars with aircraft parked within and aircraft parked in the open. Why?

Russia has troops deployed strategically around the world. Build-ups have been reported by many European nations that see Russia as a growing threat. Yet Trump did not think it necessary to be concerned of Russia retaliation to the US or our allies. Why?

Trump is an avid conspiracy theorist who has publicly insulted and questioned the integrity of the US intelligence community. Such intelligence would be required to verify the identity of who authorized the Syrian gas attack. Conflicting reports throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia raise possibilities that it was a false flag event staged by the rebels and terrorists designed to be blamed upon Assad. Yet Trump immediately chose to trust the US intelligence community and reject conspiracy possibilities intended to provoke this very response. Why?

Trump has consistently praised and supported the brutal leadership characteristics of Putin and Assad. Yet suddenly he changes his position and engages in an act of war with lightning speed. Why?

Historically, when a president is fraught with unpopularity, low employment, paralyzing controversy, and stagnant economy a war temporarily solves these problems. For a president accused, and being investigated, for treason and collusion with Russia, what more significant gesture to refute the accusations than to attack Russia through an ally proxy? Considering how much power and wealth is at stake between a Putin-Trump alliance, it is entirely possible KGB master of propaganda, deception & mind-molding, Putin himself, cooked up this plan because it is certainly too complex for Trump. This could all be political theatre at the cost of Syrian civilian lives.

Read history, dear readers. Look at Operation Ajax from the 1950s, perpetrated by the CIA on behalf of British oil interest in Iran. All the elements are the same. Staged civilian protest. Staged revolution. Arming of rebels and radicals. Bloody political coup. Massive propaganda and misinformation campaign to win US public support for a fake war that was the cover to install a puppet government to control oil interest. Delve into the documents of the CIA itself to discover that what has unfolded in Syria is simply a re-run of what happened in Iran nearly 70 years ago in Operation Ajax.

Read the works of Noam Chomsky. Hegemony has long been US foreign policy regardless of what party or individual controlled the White House. Trump is no different. That is why, by and large, Congress will support him regardless of party affiliation and even though his action was illegal, lacking Congressional approval. The US is a warmonger, always looking for justification to act on its power for profit or power expansion. And April, 6, 1917, 100 years ago yesterday, the US entered WWI. For a man who loves the taste of drama, don’t think such a detail as this significant anniversary escaped Trump.

Although Trump is justifying his act on the horror of civilians, especially children, being gassed, America has NEVER waged a war for purely humanitarian reasons. If Trump was motivated by humanitarianism, he would not reject desperate refugees seeking shelter in the US. He would not be ignoring the suffering of South Sudanese children caught up in their nation’s civil war. He would be inserting US military into Nigeria to stop the ethnic cleansing and religious genocide that is ongoing. There is only one reason Trump has intervened in Syria. Power and national interest. If you wonder what’s so darn important about Syria, check out the basics of the strategic interests of each party involved in this long, drawn out conflict:

US strategic interest in Syria: The importance of Syria is not because of the resources it has, but because of the countries that border it. Iraq is one neighbor, an oil production giant with many Americans on Iraqi soil and vulnerable to a Syria that might be controlled by a leader who is no friend to America. American allies Israel, Jordan and Turkey skirt 3 other borders.Russia’s interest: Syria has provided naval station Tartus to the Russian Federation for the past 40 years. It is Moscow’s primary marine foothold in the Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean serves as the major corridor for Intra-European trade and the flow of oil in and out of the Middle East through Syria and, ultimately, to Russian interests.

ISIS interest: ISIS is composed mainly of fundamentalist Sunni Muslims who believe that the whole world should become a single Islamic community living under one Islamic State governed by Sharia Law. War in Syria would give them a golden opportunity to build a proto-state adjacent to countries where Sunni Muslims are a majority. Sunni majority nations bordering Syria or in extremely close proximity: Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Turkey. These Sunni rich nations are vast recruitment assets for growing the ranks of ISIS. For ISIS to control Syria would mean greater ease in accomplishing their global mission. It would solidify their grip on the Middle East. This would mean the rest of the world would see their oil interests strangled unless they submitted to ISIS. A nation without Middle East oil powering their military is a nation that is powerless in the face of ISIS. Control of Syria is crucial to winning, or losing, the war against ISIS.

At first glance, the war with ISIS is the most logical reason for Trump’s action. However, we must still consider that Russia has been no friend to ISIS, nor has Assad. There was really no real threat of an ISIS takeover of Syria. The civil war in Syria was beginning to turn in Assad’s favor with the helpful latest push from ally, Russia. Why would Assad then sabotage such progress by a reprehensible gas attack on his people? He is no naive child on the world stage. He had to know there would have been a backlash at least, retaliatory action at most. This is a puzzle many nations who have no oil interest in Syria are openly discussing. And their conclusions are quite dark and disturbing.

Is Trump’s action in Syria indicative of yet one more secret Trump-Russia pact? The election collusion has always centered around the power of oil interests. The allegations: Russia would gift Trump an oil interest in Rosneft along with the White House in exchange for the US lifting Russian sanctions. Trump was also to blackmail the leader of US ally Ukraine to step down making it possible to install a Russian friendly Ukrainian leader. The end result would be a Russian proxy Ukraine allowing unfettered access to lucrative pipelines. What if Syria was also part of the deal?

By destabilizing an already weakened Assad, Trump can create the conditions for Putin to gain control of Syria. Syria has a coastal border which has long provided Russia with port access to move oil. Is Syria to be another gift from Trump to Russia? Was this move to set the stage of pay off by toppling Assad which would enable Russia to tighten its control and install a puppet Syrian leader? Some nation’s are beginning to suspect just such a secret deal between Trump and Putin. Peruse the discussions taking place amongst foreign policy experts in Asia. Such a pact would then explain the inexplicable. Whereas Assad has nothing to gain from gassing his people, the US and Russia or the rebels have much to gain by staging a civilian attack and blaming Assad.

The dear reader may think these suggestions are preposterous. But stop and consider what happens if Middle East oil power is consolidated into the hands of one individual or a partnership between two individuals. If Trump and Putin have ambitions of controlling the world’s oil supplies, they will become the most powerful and wealthy men in the entire history of the world. Such an ambition is not beyond the realm of possibility with these two megalomaniacs. And to achieve their dream, regime change in Syria is necessary. To better understand how critical control of Syria is, read the analysis of the Communist Party USA. Even if you are virulently opposed to Communism, one cannot refute facts regardless of the messenger.

Although the missile attack is sensational, it is the motive that preceded it and the aftermath that ensues that really matters. Someone, or a group of “someones”, will pay the price for this action. Is death for the masses to be the

price of Trump’s low approval ratings? Would these lives be Syrian troops on the ground at the base during the missile launch? Assad, himself? Nope. Trump gave Syria and Russia a head’s up so they could evacuate critical officials, military personnel, equipment and supplies. The only ones paying the price for Trump’s low approval ratings right now appear to be the Syrian civilians left behind, the price Syria and Russia were willing to pay for public sympathy. And a future price may include the American and Russian soldiers who will die as a result of Trump’s desperation to turn things around for himself and deliver what is owed to Putin.

Russia’s navy and biggest guns are speeding to the region as we speak, prepared for confrontation with the US naval ships who launched the attack. And, in the grand scheme of things, every American who continues to naively accept being emotionally manipulated by a government bent on world domination will pay the price. The path of hegemony the US follows will continue to wreak havoc around the world. This will continue to destabilize populations. Desperate populations will continue to flee to America and other places. And they will always require our financial assistance.

While Obama was still in office, he opened doorways to Cuba that had been closed for a very long time. One would think that such a policy would be welcomed by Americans and Cubans, alike. After all, we are such close neighbors. However, Obama’s decision was rife with controversy and, considering how Trump seems bent on destroying any policy legacy Obama may have left our country, this door may close now that he is in office.

But what, exactly, is up with Cuba policy? All the gringa learned in her public school education was that Cuba was friends with Soviet Russia, both countries have communism in common, Cuba aimed Russian missiles at US shores, and all are considered horrible things if you are a good, little patriot. But is public school history of American-Cuban relations and history fair? Is there more to the story that a good, little American child won’t learn in a public school classroom?

At the end of the 1800s, Americans were positioning themselves to be the saviours of Cubans. For about three decades Cuba had been battling against Spain’s imperial aggression, colonizing and effectively ruling the island nation. And, like typical European imperialists, the Europeans were a privileged class who oppressed the indigenous islanders. Once American soldiers arrived to provide that extra little “oomph” needed to turn the tide in favor of freedom seeking Cubans, it wasn’t long before everyone was enjoying a victory party Havana style.

New Year’s Day, 1899, began a week of festivities, organized by what were called “revolutionary patriotic committees”. Dances, grand balls, speeches, fireworks, boat races, feasts, you name it, everyone, Cuban and American alike, indulged. As Cuban soldiers enjoyed victory marches around the island, they were beloved by all.

Then the Americans had to go and spoil the party. American General John Brooke stunned Cuban allies and officials by proclaiming himself the military governor of the island. So, while Cuba was innocently thinking the Americans were arriving as allies to help them regain their independence, US were actually a Trojan Horse. The idea of being liberating allies was a farce, a ruse, to trick Cuba into welcoming new invaders, armed to the teeth, into their arms. Then, when their guard was down, thinking the war was over, the Americans lowered the boom. Cuba’s so-called “saviours” they were fighting beside were actually Judas in disguise.

General Brooke made it clear that the Cubans were considered rebel armies and to be subjugated accordingly. Imagine that! Cubans, on their own patch of land in the world, driving out European invaders, were called rebels by the new Euro-American invaders. The gringa would like to know who, exactly they were rebelling against? Themselves? Their countrymen? I mean, after all, they owed no allegiance to America anymore than they owed allegiance to Spain. Aahh, the treachery and arrogance of America.

Armed Cuban forces were prevented from entering the capital city, Havana, where General Brooke set-up headquarters. And that is the beginning of generations of Cubans eyeing the US with suspicion and considering words like “tyrant” as synonymous with “America”.

Now, the US already had two centuries of history as a frontier nation. Taking land away from indigenous people was nothing new. General Brooke didn’t bat an eye at such orders as to lay claim to Cuba, snatching it from the hands of its own people who had just fought for their independence for thirty long years. Americans had been snatching land away from the Cherokee Nation, the Apache, Mexico, and countless others. They had no conscience about appropriating an entire continent that belonged to other nations. What was a tiny little island?

The success the European invaders had at expanding the borders of the new country they had formed gradually created an ideology that became contaminated by their own religious beliefs. The Christian faith of many of America’s founding fathers believed in dominion theology. They believed that their god’s command to go out and take dominion over the land meant that their god wanted them to rule the world. In some preserved historical documents, official as well as personal, this doctrine, philosophy, ideology, whatever, you want to call it, is often referred to as “manifest destiny”.

Once political leaders saw how lucrative such an idea was, they began to craft the propaganda necessary to cultivate a society that would be conditioned to accept a government that would habitually practice the art of invasion and take-over of other lands, exploitation of its natural resources and subjugation of the indigenous people. Americans believed that it was their god ordained duty to occupy the lands of Canada, Mexico and every patch between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. And once they reached the edge of the ocean, they must take to their ships and take dominion over the rest of the world. And Cuba was the first port of call on that journey.

Once America filled up from sea to shining sea, the greed and desire for material and land-based wealth needed an outlet. Consider the intellectuals that were churning out what every American was thinking at the turn of that century. Listen to the entitlement contained in the words of Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893, bemoaning the indications of the nation’s 1890 Census revealing that there was, in effect, no longer an American frontier to be taken advantage of by the land-hungry descendants of European invaders:

“For nearly three centuries the dominant fact in American life has been expansion. With the settlement of the Pacific Coast and the occupation of the free lands, this movement has come to a check. That these energies of expansion will no longer operate would be a rash prediction; and the demands for a vigorous foreign policy, for an inter-oceanic canal, for a revival of our power upon the seas, and for the extension of American influence to outlying islands and adjoining countries, are indications that the movement will continue.”

Um, the gringa’s got news for Turner. His so-called “movement”, well, that’s just a polite word for “aggressive invasions” with regard to neighboring countries and outlying islands. You see how that works, dear reader? And it is still going on today. Now it’s called “spreading democracy”. And those are the roots of the relationship between Cuba and America.

America continued to aggressively bring Cuba to heel. The US installed their own puppet dictator, Fulgencia Batista Zaldivar. Yet Cuba continued to struggle for freedom and independence, always straining against the yoke of foreign invaders. Eventually they would find a champion in Fidel Castro who would lead a revolution that would overthrow this regime propped up by the US. Although Castro is demonized in American history, the reality is that it was America who took the first mis-step. The gringa does not blame Castro for rejecting America and turning to Russia, whom he believed to be the only nation powerful enough to protect his island nation from an imperial invasion and take-over from the US. You see, when American saw that Castro had a backbone and could not be controlled as their puppet, once again, they chose to resort to invasion and hostile take-over of a patch of dirt they considered was theirs by divine right, duty and obligation. You know, that whole “Bay of Pigs” debacle?

Eventually, Castro would sever all diplomatic ties with the US in 1961. This is the reason the US has generated decades of propaganda to make Castro the “bad guy” and the US the “good guy”.

By opening the door, uniting our people, US citizens will now be able to have personal contact and learn a different perspective of this history. For a country like the US, that carefully cultivates their “good guy” image, re-writing history to always depict national policy as benign and justifying aggression in the interest of national security because we have been “victimized”, the gringa will watch with interest to see how this new Cuba policy develops.

With Trump’s constant drip, drip, drip, denigrating Mexico and Mexicans at every turn, the gringa has to ask, “Did a Mexican chica break his heart when he was 12-years-old or something?” Such bitterness must have a very deep root indeed. Surely, somewhere in his dark, murky past, Trump must have experienced a horrible humiliation at the hands of a Mexican. Maybe, if a chica did break his heart, maybe, just maybe, she had a big hermano who also beat him up for getting fresh with his sister. Who knows. What the gringa DOES know is that Trump is full of crap about Mexico not producing the best or finest when it comes to their people. Get a load of these amazing Mexicans and their inventions:

Luis Miramontes:In 1956 Miramontes was the proud co-owner of a US patent for the oral contraceptive known as Norinyl and manufactured by his employer, Syntex Corporation. A college student at the time, Miramontes, along with 2 other chemists, invented the birth control pill in 1951. His primary contribution was drafting the procedure for synthesizing progestin norethindrone (seeing as how experts claim he speaks on the level of a fourth grader, the gringa suspects Trump couldn’t even pronounce that).

Victor Celorio: Do you like to read on a Nook or Kindle? Well, guess what, this technology is nearly half a century old. It is based on the invention of this Mexican technology innovator who patented his “Instabook Maker”. This allowed for rapid electronic distribution of books and allowed for offline printing. US patents #6012890 and #6213703 were both awarded to Celorio, a Mexico City native, in 1957. This technology was behind the success for his US company, Instabook Corporation. The gringa doesn’t expect Trump to be impressed by this invention. Chances are, he doesn’t read much.

Jose Hernandez-Rebollar: This Mexican’s invention is so famous, he even earned mention by the Smithsonian. Commenting on his device, a glove that translates sign language into audible speech, the Smithsonian had this to say:

“… by using sensors attached to the glove and the arm, this prototype device can currently translate the alphabet and over 300 words in American Sign Language (ASL) into both English and Spanish.”

This bilingual device is very impressive. Seeing as how Trump barely has a grasp on English at even the most rudimentary levels, the gringa thinks Hernandez-Rebollar far surpasses Trump in that respect. I mean, really, what the heck is he trying to say? Either he can’t say “big league” or he’s making up words because “bigly” isn’t even a word.

Dr. Maria del Socorro Flores Gonzalez: In 2006 she won an award, MEXWII, for her extraordinary medical diagnostic method for the parasitic disease, invasive amebiasis. Her process is patented and because of her commitment to healthcare, early detection is now possible for a disease that was killing more than 100,000 people around the world every year. The gringa wonders how many lives Trump will save this year, because he is certainly going to destroy countless.

Felipe Vadillo: Since Trump is a fierce advocate for forced birth, desiring to outlaw abortion and banning American medical professionals from sharing medical data about abortion options with vulnerable populations in other parts of the world, perhaps he should give Vadillo the credit he deserves. Vadillo invented a method, which is now patented, for predicting premature fetal membrane rupture in expectant mothers. This condition is commonly known as when a pregnant woman’s “water breaks”. If it happens prematurely, the consequences can be deadly for the baby. Pro-life Trump should offer a word of gratitude for this outstanding Mexican.